Darth Maul's Beginnings
by Jake2
Summary: How did Darth Maul become the apprentice of Sidious? Here's how. (The only reason this got 'Mystery' genre is because Darth Maul's beginnings are a mystery)


Fear was Darth Maul's way. Inducing fear into the mortals of the galaxy was the most important thing for a Sith, as his master had taught him early on.  
  
That was easy for the Sith apprentice, with his red and black tattoos and horns. Even without these qualities he could still place fear easily.  
  
Yes, this was Darth Maul's way.  
  
* * *  
  
It all started in an alley on the harsh planet of Iridonia. Night was closing in, the shadows creeping into the street.  
  
With the shadows went many beasts, some too hideous to tell of, some the size of your fist, but all deadly.  
  
One is the Yought, a small, oozing creature who entered into houses at night to suck the blood of the people therein.  
  
Another is the Nuta, which is six feet tall, whose color seemed to change with time. It would silence it's prey with it's tentacles, then slurp them through it's beak-like mouth.  
  
At the edge of this dark alley there was a small shop, owned and operated by Keth Weeb and his wife Nira.  
  
It was a small shop, getting few customers a day, so the Weebs were poor, but happy. In fact, the only thing missing in their life was a child.  
  
For hours Nira would fantasize about a child. She thought about his cute horns, and imagined the perfect color of it's face.  
  
At the time when the shadows started closing in, they were an hour away from closing, but didn't think about it, for they had their seventh customer of the day (a good day, on their scale).  
  
While they were standing there, talking to the customer, a tall male named Bigth, a dark shadow stole across the street, placing a bundle of rags on the shop's door step.  
  
After peering around nervously for a few seconds, it left as quickly and silently as it had appeared, the only witness a Yought, who was busy with a wounded stray Cath—a cat-like creature.  
  
"Okay," Bigth waved to Keth as he opened the door. "I'll be back tomorrow—"  
  
Suddenly, he tripped over a bundle on the door step, falling onto the cement road below. Cursing, he looked back furiously.  
  
Then he saw it, as did Keth and Nira, who had ran out after the stumble: a small ball of rags, wriggling around.  
  
At first they all thought it for a wild animal, but soon noticed the humanoid shape. Nira went forward, removing a fold of the rags.  
  
After she peeled it away, she jerked back with a gasp.  
  
"What is it?" Bigth and Keth shouted anxiously in unison. "What is it, Nira?" asked Keth again.  
  
"I-it's a baby!" said Nira, smiling. Before the men could protest, she had it in her arms, cuddling it. "It's adorable!"  
  
She rubbed his cheeks, pricked her fingers on his horns, and adored his color: black and red. "Let's keep him!" she cried.  
  
"Nira!" Keth scolded. "We don't know where he's been, or who he belongs to! His parents might want him back!"  
  
Nira looked deep into his eye. "You know that most people don't like the color of their child and dump him on the street…"  
  
"I know…I know…" he said.  
  
"Although I don't know how in the galaxy someone wouldn't like this little tike," she finished, rocking the tiny, tattooed child.  
  
Before the argument could progress farther, Bigth interrupted. "Look," he said. "This is all very interesting, but I have to go now. Farewell, friends."  
  
After making sure he wasn't shot as he left the alley, the couple went inside, Nira carrying the child delicately.  
  
* * *  
  
Moybille sat in his crib, his horns tearing up his pillow. Nira stood over him, rocking his crib slowly. His eyes slowly closed, and soon the room was filled with his snoring.  
  
After Nira left, in the dark of the night, a dark figure opened a window and stepped through silently. He pulled the baby out of the crib, closed his eyes, and looked up.  
  
"He will do," the dark figure said to himself, and went outside and quietly closed the door. "And he will not be Moybille."  
  
He looked into the infant's eyes. "He shall be called 'Maul'" 


End file.
